This invention relates to the art of medicine and has particular reference to artificial lenses employed in ophthalmology for correction of aphakia and restoration of binocular vision.
In the late 1940's Ridley inserted the first intraocular lens into the posterior chamber of the eye. Subsequently, the work of Epstein and Binkhorst was directed toward a lens positioned in the anterior chamber and supported by the iris. The so-called "Iris Clip Lens" has legs aligned on the top and bottom of the iris about 180.degree. from each other and is designed to clip onto the iris. Fedorov U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,616 shows a modification of the iris clip lens involving three posterior loops and three antenna-like extensions in front of the iris. Binkhorst also has developed a lens designed for anchoring to the cleft between the iris and the capsular membrane by iridocapsular adhesions following the extracapsular extraction. Worst had developed a lens having an anchor on the iris at right angles to the posterior legs, which lens is used primarily following intracapsular extraction, although it can be used following extracapsular extraction.
In my copending applications Ser. Nos. 526,509; 547,620; and 638,610, of which I am solo or joint inventor, the intraocular lens shown in said applications all require suturing to the iris by means of a flange with openings therethrough which allows the lens to be sutured to the iris. Similarly Otter U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,551 shows a lens which has a haptic rim with suture openings therein for fixation to the iris. It would be desirable if the lens could be fastened to the iris without suturing as this would allow a simpler implantation and would obviate the possibility that the suture would become dislodged or break loose after implantation.
Other forms of the Otter disclosure show lens anchored by means of clips rather than sutures, but these devices are loosely positioned in the iridectomy and are not stable in the eye in the vertical or horizontal directions.
The invention of application Ser. No. 526,509 is specifically designed to be used after clean extracapsular extraction. In this type procedure the posterior chamber and the capsular membrane are thoroughly cleaned of all cortial material by an aspirator or like device.
The invention of application Ser. No. 547,620 is specifically designed to be used after intracapsular extraction. In this type procedure the entire cataract and the capsular membrane are removed so that the intraocular lens which is implanted must be anchored to the iris.
The invention of application Ser. No. 638,610 is directed to a bifocal intraocular lens which allows the patient both distance and near vision without the wearing of eyeglasses.
In all of these applications the lens is sutured to the superior portion of the iris, and the sphincter muscle, which controls dilation of the pupil, is avoided to make the position of the lens independent of the pupil size.
It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an intraocular lens which is inserted and fixedly positioned with respect to the iris of the eye without the necessity for suturing the same. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an intraocular lens which can be used with either extracapsular or intracapsular extraction and which can be inserted into the eye by use of anchor means which are inserted into incisions in the iris and fixed thereto without the use of sutures.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sutureless technique for inserting artificial lens into the eye such that the lens will not move with the eye during dilation and contraction of the pupil and will resist being dislodged from a prefixed position in the eye.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.